Comparison of Beka Lamb and Billy Casper

Comparison of Beka Lamb and Billy Casper

The lives of the protagonist, Billy Casper in the novel “Kestrel for a Naïve” by Barry Hines sand Beka Lamb in the novel “Beka Lamb” by Zee Edgell, can be compared and contrasted. Although, the novels were written by authors from different parts of the world (Non-West Indian and West Indian respectively), readers can establish links between them and in a way learn the challenges people may face in different parts of the world and how they deal with it (whether in the same manner or differently). In these novels the protagonists experience behavioral problems and challenges at home and at school and the stores are told in flashbacks. There is also an element in both novels that induces a change in the protagonists.

Beka lives in Belize and is a member of a nuclear family who is supportive and proves to be her anchor. She has good family relations with her immediate and extended family especially Miss Ivy, her grand mother, who imparts wisdom and familiarizes Beka about history and political issues which has helped her to shape her political views. She is close to her brothers and being the oldest shows responsibility for them. She also has responsible parents (a mother who encourages and motivates her and father who provides for) who are married, unlike most creoles. Similarly, despite living in a rural community Beka and her family are not as poor and are better off than most creoles in her community. In spite of this firm family and financial foundation, Beka has two main problems: she takes the life she has for granted and she is also very dishonest, that is, steals and she lies (as seen when she tells her parents she passed first grade when in fact she did not). The latter problem seems to be done out of compulsion.

Billy on the other hand lives in Britain, in a single parent family. His family is very dysfunctional (unlike Beka’s) comprising of a prostitute mother who is unsympathetic and a poor role model and an abusive (physically and emotionally)...

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